Democrats have made increasing gun control one of their top legislative priorities since the Parkland, Florida shooting happened in February of last year. Presidential hopeful Eric Swalwell is actually making gun control the focus of his campaign and has declared he wants to implement a so-called “assault weapons” ban and enforce a mandatory buyback program, similar to New Zealand’s.

"You know, keep your pistols, keep your long rifles, keep your shotguns," Swalwell said, displaying the typical level of leftist ignorance when it comes to firearms. "I want the most dangerous weapons, these weapons of war, out of the hands of the most dangerous people."

Kamala Harris, another 2020 Democratic presidential contender, has been an outspoken supporter of gun control, having said she, too, supports a ban on “assault weapons” and favors universal background checks.

But here’s a sticky wicket.

Harris just admitted she, herself, is a gun owner.

Harris told reporters last week:

"I’m a gun owner. I own a gun for probably the same reason a lot of people do, for personal safety. I'm a former prosecutor.

“In terms of gun policy though, I think that for too long, and still today, we are being offered a false choice, which suggests you’re either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away. It's a false choice.

"I believe it's a false choice born out of a lack of courage from leaders who must recognize and agree that there are some practical solutions to what is a clear problem in our country. And part of the practical solution is to agree that we need smart gun safety laws, which include universal background checks, which include the renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban. Period."

Yes, Background Checks Mean Taking Everyone’s Guns Away
So much head shaking to be done here.

For starters, a universal background check system, as GPM has explained time and time again, is a universal gun registry system in “common sense gun reform’s” clothing. And history proves gun registries have led and will ultimately lead to gun confiscation. Period.

What’s in a Name?
Secondly, what do Swalwell, Harris, and their cronies mean by “assault weapons”? Do they have a definition? Swalwell seems to think “assault weapons” = “weapons of war,” which, in the traditional sense, he’d be correct.

The term “assault rifle” has, however, now been perverted by the media to mean any type of gun the left wants to be banned. They love to call AR-15s “assault rifles,” implying the “AR” stands for “assault rifle,” when, in fact, it stands for “ArmaLite rifle,” named after the company that invented the AR in the 1950s.

Originally, though, “assault rifle” was a military term referring to a weapon with “select-fire capabilities,” used by an individual soldier. “Select-fire” means a gun that can transition between semi-automatic and automatic fire. Such weapons are already illegal for the general public to own.

Rampant Ignorance and Hypocrisy
The liberal elite is not known for having principles or sticking to them. In fact, the only thing, it seems, that the left can be counted on to do consistently is to act hypocritically.

Last year, for instance, The Federalist reported:

Kellie Collins, a former congressional candidate in Georgia’s 10th District, was charged with the murder of her former campaign treasurer, Curtis Cain. The allegations of murder follow Collins’ advocacy for “responsible” gun control laws during her campaign. WSB-TV reports that she argued for stricter legislation “to protect the community.”

It’s tempting to take what progressives have to say about guns with a grain of salt, since every time they speak about them they reveal just how little they know and care about the truth. But just remember how much power these people have, and that you must care.